No one was inside a Syracuse home when fire struck tonight, city fire officials said.

The fire at 134 Elmhurst Ave. started at 10:36 p.m. and was extinguished 20 minutes later, said Lt. Joe Galloway, a fire investigator.

Tenant Grinelle Jackson said she and her children, ages 13, 11 and 8, were at her sister's house when the fire began. She said she had heard odd clicking noises from the stove earlier in the day, but none of the burners were lighted when she checked.

The fire started in the rear of the house, and the whole house had smoke and water damage, Galloway said.